EXODUS RELOADED: WILL THERE EVER COME A TIME WHERE BLACKS WILL HAVE TO LEAVE?

11% of America, this is the percent to which the African American population is made up of in this country. Now I make this statement, especially with everything that has been going on over the past few years. Will there ever come a day when we will have to leave this country and find land elsewhere? And what I mean by everything that has been going on, I’m talking about the topic of racism. Is it still an issue or not? And if it is, then you’re talking 400 years in the making since the original Africans were brought here as indentured servants. But if we do leave, where do we go? Every stretch of land is controlled globally.

What brought me to write about this topic, is that the Black experience in America is quite unique. And the context to which I am using unique is not necessarily good. Why is it unique because we are the only ethnic group with no connection to anything: language, religion, country, and government. Well everyone says this is your country. But it seems at every turn there is a constant reminder that you don’t belong. So where do you belong if not here? I mean, it’s easy to say Africa, but where? We in America are the only group without a country of origin.

People whose family came from Ellis Island (Polish, Italians, Jews, Greeks, Irish, Sicilians, etc.) have a country of origin, Mexicans, Middle Eastern, East Asian, but where do I turn. You see, when I was a small child, I would often contemplate taking my knowledge and going to aid some African country. Growing up in school I had always been academically sound, and thought, “Wow, my intellectual capital could be used in a poor African country.” Then I thought to myself, what about America. Even though you grow up with the idea that it’s possible, you really don’t think it is possible to become successful until you’re there; and even question once you’re there. There is the feeling that eventually you will get to a point where if you’re too successful you have to be brought down. Sometimes Black people will even sabotage our own successful before it can be taken from us.

In addition, I often thought, let’s assume I did leave America, how would I be received? Would I show up and people become more enraged that I am there, or would people be gracious to have someone willing to build their country? Even in this questioning I said build, “their” country. Emphasis on the word, “their”. Walking this planet as me, is like a nomadic individual looking for a home. Even when I look at the American flag, I don’t feel hate or dislike, rather I don’t associate Black people with it. I see White men and women. If you asked me what does an American look like, I would say White men and women.

This is not my opinion of what I think America is, but rather a feeling. I just don’t think America was meant for us. People may project that as hate, but I don’t hate. Now what do I do moving forward. There are a few options: stay in the country and continue to question, leave the country and go where, or stay and get lost within the future of America. Because by the year 2050, America will most likely be a Spanish speaking country. Now the plot thickens because not only are we lost in a country, but the language barrier will cause further confrontation. Because then again, this is the native land of the people speaking the language.

So I ask, will there ever be another Exodus of people. If so, will it be us (Black people) or where will we go? Our connection across the ocean has been lost in time and no where else would be as open. And if they are open, could we really call that place home. And will it only be a continuation of America? Or there is another option, purchase land on some island land mass and restart fresh. We are roughly $3 trillion of American spending, so it is possible to start our own country. Could we potentially buy our way out, or maybe that would be a reparation. America’s reparation to Black people is that we will sell you an island not charted by anyone. It’s yours to now build your future. That’s how Liberia was formed, from free Black people after slavery.

All of this sounds crazy to the average person in the world. That’s because the average person has some sort of connection to something. Growing up in school I always was one of the only Black students. And watching my White classmates, it’s almost like they just knew this was there country. Their pride made it easier for them to come into the world with confidence. I am almost 30 years of age and still trying to figure out how to fit into an environment where everything you do seems to be turned into a fault on some level. In the end, I often contemplate what my life will bring. But most of all, us as a group. Something tells me it’s not going to look good in the future. I just have a gut feeling and some may call it paranoia, but it’s my gut feeling. Throughout history man has always had to find uncharted land, so over the next 100 years I wonder what will come of us.